


together, apart

by crosswalks



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Fluff, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Plants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:55:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28205706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crosswalks/pseuds/crosswalks
Summary: Kei, Tadashi, and the months they're kept apart.--(This is a kind-of sequel to another work! I guess it can be read as a stand-alone, but it won't make as much sense >< so read the fic it's inspired by first!! It's in the notes <3)
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 7
Kudos: 26
Collections: Haikyuu Secret Santa 2020





	together, apart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nargles_exist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nargles_exist/gifts).
  * Inspired by [When the Moon Kissed the Mountain](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20101939) by [nargles_exist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nargles_exist/pseuds/nargles_exist). 



> HI ANDA!!! Man I was so excited that I got you for my HQSS giftee, I read your savage garden series months ago and have Not stopped thinking about your Kei and Tadashi since... So I decided to write them a little sequel! I loved those stories so much, so I hope this brings you at least as much joy <333

Kei looks at the little clay pot in his hands.

It’s rough under his palms— its surface unfinished and earthy-looking, like it’d been freshly made to house the plant it contains.

Said plant’s long, unwieldy stem wobbles slightly on its supporting stake as Kei shifts the pot to inspect it. It looks like an orchid: has the same flared petals and thick, wide leaves at its base as all the others in the castle do, but something about it nags at Kei.

He rummages around in the crate that it was delivered in, digging out a small brown envelope. The front of it is labelled with his name, _Tsukishima Kei_ , in wide, bubbly brushstrokes. He runs over the lettering with a careful thumb, tearing into the seam with his index finger.

The note inside reads:

_Dear Kei,_

_Time flies, doesn’t it… It feels like forever since you’ve last visited, even though it was really just a few weeks ago. I miss you! I could probably write entire paragraphs about how much I miss you, but alas… I’m afraid the palace guards will throw out my package if it’s too heavy, and the orchid’s stem might get crushed if the envelope shifted the wrong way, and… Well. You get it. This short letter will have to do!_

_Anyway! I’d been thinking about what you and I were talking about when you came to visit. I’ve already told you this, and you’re probably sick of hearing it, but I think it’s so cool that you’re taking up an apprenticeship at the castle library! I know you’re worried about where it’ll take you, but I’m glad that you’re pursuing something you love. You’ve probably read more books than me and Hitoka combined!_

_I’m rambling again and also running out of parchment… >< but I’ve been experimenting with some new plants, with Hitoka’s help! We’ve managed to cross-pollinate some wild orchids to… Well, I won’t get into it, for your sake. But! This flower secretes pheromones, of a kind, that help you focus and clear your vision! It won’t replace real rest, but it’ll sharpen your senses for your work in the library. Just leave it in your room while you sleep, or take it with you to the library, and it’ll activate by itself! _

_I’ve listed some instructions for care on the back of this letter. Don’t let it wilt away like your hawthorn tree! And make sure to have that replanted soon!_

_Love you!_

_Tadashi_

Kei’s eyes linger on the last line of Tadashi’s letter. He follows every loop and curl of the characters, as if Kei’s a traveler who’s lost his way, and Tadashi’s calligraphy is a coveted treasure map, guiding his heart to its final destination. A silly thought, but genuine.

After a minute or so, he carefully refolds the parchment and slots it back into the envelope, then picks up the orchid and walks across the room to his bed. He settles the plant on his bedside table, flopping across the covers with a deep sigh. Ever since Akiteru’s wedding, the bed has felt much too big for Kei, despite him never having had any complaints before.

He glances at the orchid again, its petals the same deep purple as the night sky. Kei sighs, again.

He makes a mental note to tell the gardeners about the hawthorn replanting, and closes his eyes.

— — — 

“Tadashi!” Hitoka calls from the garden. “There’s a royal messenger outside looking for you!”

Tadashi nearly drops the glass propagation tube he’d been holding in surprise, letting out a mortifying shriek. He carefully replaces it, then rushes outside, wiping his dirt-covered hands absently on his work pants.

A long, official-sounding spiel from the messenger later, Tadashi is rushing back inside to open the thick envelope, the only identifying thing about it being the crescent-moon seal on the outside, pressed into violet wax.

Hitoka watches him with amusement from her view in the kitchen, as she sets freshly washed vegetables down to start on dinner. Absently, Tadashi thanks the messenger for coming at the time they did— whatever Yachi’s making is going to taste amazing, with the way she’s smiling so brightly.

He spends a painstaking half-minute debating with himself over whether he should break the seal, when Hitoka offers him a letter knife with a teasing smile.

Tadashi thanks her with a mortified blush, using the knife to cut around the seal. It’s Kei’s personal one, he thinks— it’s different from the one on their old wedding invite, anyway. He removes it from the paper and holds it up to the window: sunlight fills the grooves of the seal’s intricate detailing, elegant and tasteful.

He slips the coin of wax into his pocket, tearing open the rest of the envelope. If Tadashi’s last letter was brief, Kei had definitely made up for it: there’s enough parchment in the envelope to make up a short novel. Tadashi vibrates with excitement as he scans the first page.

_Tadashi,_

_I miss you too, more than I have the words to express. Your package arrived safely— I have given the castle staff express instruction not to throw out mail from your address, so you need not worry about things such as package weight._

_My apprenticeship with the castle’s Head Librarian is going smoothly. I’ve been reading since I was old enough to learn, but there is still so much to learn about our world, and everything that calls it home. I think of our last conversation often as well. I remember you saying that you want to hear about all that I come across— I’m not sure if this is what you meant, but I’ve included an abbreviated collection of notes on my various studies in this letter. It feels fulfilling, to be able to expand my worldview like this; I’ve never enjoyed my time in the library more. I can’t help but want to share it with you._

_The orchid has been of much help. Your magic is most impressive, as is Yachi’s. I hope she is doing well, as are you. I think of your cottage often— how alive it is, with warmth and love. I hope to visit again soon._

_The hawthorn has been replanted in the outdoor gardens, at your request. I think you will be happy to hear that it is thriving; all it needed was a little room to grow._

_I love you too. I think of you often._

The actual letter ends there: the rest of it is Kei’s notes on his studies, littered with diagrams of plants, maps of faraway countries, and even charts of stars and constellations. Tadashi settles deep into their worn loveseat, and starts to read.

— — — 

Kei arrives at Tadashi’s doorstep a little rough for wear. He’d cut his hand on a stray plant earlier: no matter how many times he navigates to the witches’ house, he can’t seem to remember the layout of spiny bushes and brambles that litter the path there. He holds his sleeve to the shallow wound as he waits for someone to answer the door.

Right before Kei is about to slump his shoulders in disappointment and turn around, the door opens to Hitoka’s small frame.

“Your highness!!” she squeaks, voice bubbly with… either nerves, or excitement, Kei thinks. Maybe a bit of both.

“Yachi, I’ve told you that you can drop the honorifics,” Kei sighs, “it’s nice to see you again—”

Yachi’s expression quickly morphs from confusion to fear, for no reason Kei can conjure. “Has there been another emergency?? Has someone _—eek_.. has someone poisoned the King again?? Has someone poisoned _you??_ ”

Her eyes bulge with panic. Kei feels out of his depth.

“No, there’s no emergency, but… do you have bandages in your home?”

Yachi notices the blood seeping through Kei’s sleeve then, her eyes widening at the sight.

“Oh!! We do have first-aid supplies, please come inside!”

She enters the cottage then, Kei right on her heels.

She dresses Kei’s wound, despite his insistence that he can do it himself. Her small hands are sure and steady when they wrap his larger one, surprisingly rough with blisters and calluses. She asks Kei what he’s doing in town (he’s on library business, transcribing rare books that’ve been found recently in an abandoned library), and Kei asks how she’s been doing (well, but there’s been a lot of work lately and her hands are drying out from the weather). He finds out that Tadashi is off on an excursion to the north, to find a certain species of algae that’s used in their most effective cold medicine. Kei’s just missed him, apparently.

“Oh!” Yachi blurts, once she’s done packing away the bandages. “Tadashi had been meaning to mail you something, but I think he got so caught up in preparing to leave that I think he forgot… Wait right here!”

She disappears into a corner of the cottage, and comes back holding a book in her hands. Its cover is soft, unfinished leather, with laces wrapped up and down the spine. Its contents seem to burst from their encasing, as if someone had stuffed things between the pages.

Yachi hands him the book, and he takes it carefully, undoing the band of leather that wraps it closed.

“It’s a guidebook to this forest’s plants, and animals and such! I’ve been helping him double check the descriptions and drawings and everything, so I’m sure the information is accurate! Tadashi’s even glued in some dried versions of the plants and flowers, there’s a couple animal teeth in there too I think…”

Kei flips through the pages, jaw dropping slightly in awe. The pages are filled with Tadashi’s striking handwriting, occasionally interspersed with elegant calligraphy that must be Yachi’s. There are drawings of hundreds of different plants, accompanied by pressed leaves and petals that’ve been glued onto the thick parchment. 

Kei turns to a random section in the middle of the book, and finds a familiar purple flower petal, the only plant on the twin pages. _Dreamflower_ , the caption labels it.

There’s a note underneath the petal clipping:

_Remember this? I didn’t use all of the dreamflower you’d collected that day… I pressed the last petal between some books and forgot all about it, until I was digging through them for a recipe the other day. It brought back a rush of memories…_

_Remember when we went swimming in that pool? And then slow-danced in that glade, the forest coming alive all around us? For the longest time after we returned, it felt like a dream instead of something that really happened._

_I’m very glad it wasn’t a dream._

Kei closes the book then, tying the cover back closed.

“Thank you, Yachi,” he tells her, watching as she nods fervently. “And, before I forget…”

Kei reaches into his pack, pulling out two medium-sized jars.

“I’ve brought you some things for your cooking. They’re from the neighboring kingdom— brown sugar for you, chili pepper flakes for Tadashi.”

Yachi’s eyes brighten at the jars of seasonings, her hands clasped in delight.

— — — 

The smell of cayenne and garlic fills the room, as Tadashi seasons his fried potatoes, fresh from the pot of oil leveled over their fireplace. The flakes look strikingly vibrant on the golden wedges; the recipe is different from how Tadashi usually makes his favorite dish, but his mouth waters the same. 

He’s just about to bite his first fry when there’s a knock on his door, which makes him fumble. The fry drops onto the floor, and he wails in agony.

Before he can properly mourn the loss of his beautiful slice of potato, the knocking starts up again. He jerks to his feet from his kneeling position by the fry, rushing to open the door.

It’s the royal messenger again— they give Tadashi a nod, which he returns a bit too quickly, with half their poised grace. They leave with a small chuckle, and Tadashi slaps his forehead in mortification.

This envelope has the official royal seal, to Tadashi’s slight disappointment. He thumbs at the seal, breaking it easily. The inside of the letter is written in looping, nearly illegible calligraphy, the ink an almost golden color— it shimmers in the afternoon sun, Tadashi marvels.

_BY ROYAL DECREE_

_For his impressive magical talents, and role in saving His Royal Highness Tsukishima Akiteru from his deathbed, this Kingdom hereby pronounces_

_YAMAGUCHI TADASHI_

_An official member of the Royal Court of Magicians, henceforth welcomed to its meetings and related activities. May his intelligence and skill continue to serve the Kingdom for as long as he may wish._

The decree is signed off in some court official’s scratchy penmanship, but Tadashi doesn’t even try to parse it— he’s too busy gaping at the words on the gilded page. _Official member of the Royal Court of Magicians_ …

Tadashi gets to further his education in plant magic, surrounded by the most talented witches and magicians in the land, _and_ he gets to see Kei at the same time… 

As he jumps up and down on his front doorstep, the potatoes in his kitchen are forgotten, left to cool on their plate.

— — — 

The plants in Kei’s bathing room unfurl their leaves luxuriously, taking in all the humidity and steam billowing around the enclosed space.

There are dozens of them now: they fill every nook and cranny of the previously empty room, now bursting with life and color. Every time Tadashi comes up to visit, he brings a plant or two, to _liven up the place_ , allegedly. Kei doesn’t understand why a bathroom must have plants, but he doesn’t really mind— Tadashi always looks so happy when he presents them to Kei, and they remind Kei of him, anyway. So he keeps them all, displays them wherever he can make room.

The stone of Kei’s spacious bath is starting to cut into his back, with how long he’s been sitting there, but he can’t bring himself to move. His chin rests lazily on the top of Tadashi’s head, both their hair wet with water and steam.

Tadashi is at the castle on plant witch business— the magicians at the royal court had requested his presence this week, to consult him for his knowledge of herbal medicine. He’d been jostled around the court for days; Kei could hardly get a moment with him in between.

Kei was only annoyed for a moment, though. Tadashi had looked so determined to do a good job— his face had set in an expression Kei had only seen a handful of times before, steely and unwavering. Kei thinks it’s an attractive look on him.

As if Tadashi’s reading Kei’s mind, he shifts in his arms.

“What’re you thinking about, Kei? Your heart started beating really fast” he yawns, turning to press his cheek into Kei’s shoulder.

Kei holds him a little tighter.

“I was thinking about the last time we were in the bath together,” he lies.

Tadashi snorts, lifting his head to press a kiss to the corner of Kei’s mouth.

“Liar,” he murmurs, settling back into Kei’s chest.

Kei’s lips quirk up in a small smile. 

“Plant witches can read minds, now?” he mocks.

Tadashi only sticks out his tongue at that, giggling through his nose. Kei steals a kiss while Tadashi faces him, which makes him laugh even harder, his cheeks bunching up with the reflex, putting his freckles on clear display. Kei could stare at them for hours, map them with as much expertise as he does when he maps constellations.

“Love you,” he tells Tadashi, voice gentle.

Tadashi blushes then, or maybe it’s just more noticeable because they’re already warm, but Kei finds he likes it either way— steals another kiss on his rosy cheeks.

Tadashi giggles, responding,

“Love you too, Kei.”

**Author's Note:**

> :D


End file.
